Tears of Crimson
by Vash DeStampede
Summary: It's been a couple months since the reunification of the world, and the ToS gang has split up. Finally free of the chosen title, Zelos goes on his own journey to try to find himself, and meets a strange man with a misterious past


**Hey! sup people, this is my first fanfic, and i hope you like it, so please read and review, and if it sucks just try not to me too mean.**

**Notes**: a duster, is a piece of clothing, like if you would think Vash the stampede from trigun, and Auron from final fantasy x, that's more or less what it is, so it would be the bottom part of that

**Setting: **After the 2 worlds are together.

**Diclaimer:** i don't own tales of symphonia, nor do i own any of its characters, and i guess i do own ozone since i made him up...

Searing pain, that was my earliest memory. Pain that tore through my entire being, like one million daggers. Rivers of crimson flowed across my body, down my arms and spilling their contents leaving a recognizable trail across the cold hard floor. My body was damaged beyond repair. An arrow pierced my right shoulder, and a short sword was jabbed into my rip cage. Across the right side of my face was a wide gash which had partially blinded me and was gushing blood, down my neck and my shirtless upper body. Something told me I should not be alive, too much blood had been lost, too many injuries. What was probably keeping me alive was the scarlet jewel on my left shoulder, which shined with a great luster. But for some reason, that was also the thing that sent the most pain across my body. I clutched it tightly with my right hand and kept going, towards the light; the light that shone at the end of the long hallway.

Fear, was my second memory. I could hear them just around the corner; the countless angels that had inflicted such dire injuries upon me. They were hunting me like a wild animal. I didn't know anything, all I knew was that I had to get out of there, I had to survive. I could barely keep myself from fainting as the agonizing pain swept through me. I don't know how, but somehow, limping I made it to the end of the long, dark hallway. There I found a most gorgeous sight. I stood on the pinnacle of the world, on the very summit of the planet. There I saw the great ball of fire, which engulfed everything in its omnipotence. The mountains and lakes, bathed in its all giving light.

But the bliss did not last long. The angels, they had caught up with me. None of them spoke, they merely drew their weapons and started closing in. I couldn't remember my thoughts at the time. All I remembered is jumping; jumping into nothingness. I remember, being freed of all pain as I fell through the skies. I remember the feeling of weightlessness while everything just faded away. All worries left me, and soon all my senses were dulled as I fell into the darkness.

Rover

I am a wonder

Searching for a meaning

Searching for the answers

With nowhere to call home

I roam the vast lands aimlessly

My destiny never clear

My path always rocky

My destination, where the wind blows

Like autumn leaves in the gust

I am Rover

The warm spring air blew across the gentle fields of green. The moon and the stars shone with a fiery intensity in the night's sky. Upon a large hill a single man sat under a huge weeping willow overlooking the grandiose sight. Not a single soul to be seen for miles he thought to himself, such a peaceful sight. On the ground next to him a huge broadsword stood jammed into the ground. He turned his head towards the sky, where the stars danced like distant flames set alit across the universe. The man leaned against the tree, contemplating what would happen next. Finally he stood to his full sight and reached for his blade on the ground. With one strong tug, he unsheathed the blade from the ground, and held it out in front of him. The handle was made of deep black leather. The wide metal part which connected the handle to the blade was a brilliant golden, with many strange carvings on it. And finally, the double-edged blade, it must have been four or five feet in length, and it had a magnificent, pale glow like the full moon.

He stared at it with black eyes, which hid behind darker, round shades. On the right side of his face was a deep, long scar which stretched from his forehead, across his eye and down his cheek. His long black hair extended little ways past his shoulders. It was messy and unkempt, and would often blow on his face whenever the winds shifted. On his chest he wore a plain, black breastplate. He wore a golden shoulder pad on his left shoulder, which from a single sleeve of deep crimson was attached and covered his left arm; his right arm remained naked and was filled with many a scars from previous battles. Wrapped around his waist was an emerald green belt which held a sword sheath; and the bottom half of what had once been a duster(1), also deep crimson. He wore long black pants which were tucked into big metallic boots.

He made a few slashing motions in the air with his sword, and the quickly sheathed it behind his back. Once more he turned to the night's sky, and as he looked up, lost in thought he whispered to himself "I can feel it, the winds of change they're picking up once more…." But suddenly he was jerked away from his deep thoughts. He looked over to his right to the large forest which stood between the plains, and the mountains; where the Temple of Earth was. A chill ran down his spine, and he could sense a strong concentration of mana coming from the forest. Not only that but he could also hear the distinct sounded clashing metal. Without hesitation he rushed towards the forest.

"So this is finally the end huh?" the redheaded ex-chosen of mana said between gasp of breath. "What a sorry way to go". He was too badly wounded, and didn't have any time to casts healing spells. He could hardly keep up with all of them at the same time, much less chant a spell. But he had been at it for more than an hour now, he was growing tired, but they just kept coming one after another with no end in sight. He was beginning to believe he really would die here. Why did they want him dead in the first place? He was no longer chosen; therefore he had no more power.

He thought if he could just make it to the Earth Temple, he could hide there. He was about to make a run for it, when one of them knocked his sword out of his hand. It fell into a nearby bush, and with that all hope of coming out of this alive was lost. The soldier placed the tip of his blade on the red haired swordsman's throat. "Your time has come" he said with arrogant sense of triumph in his voice. Zelos closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. "Grave!" a shout came from the darkness beyond the trees. Just as those words were spoken, several large spikes came up from the ground and pierced his attackers, who died almost instantly. The source of the spell soon revealed itself, in the form of a young man, with long black hair and shades. The man quickly ran up to him and said "Are you ok?" still shocked, Zelos nodded. But the fight wasn't over yet, there were still a few more soldiers coming their way. The young man quickly took up his broadsword and started hacking away at the remaining attackers. "Get your sword!" he yelled at Zelos. Zelos did as he was told and joined the man in disposing the remaining troops.

As soon as the fight was over Zelos threw himself on the cool blades of grass and let out a long sigh. Seeing the poor shape he was in the man who helped him threw him a couple of lemon gels "Here eat this". After the ex chosen had devoured the gels he turned to the other swordsman and thanked him "Man I really owe you one! You saved my life." He shrugged and replied "It was no big deal, I was just passing by, and I couldn't just leave someone to die…"

"So what's your name?"

"Ozone….what's yours?"

"Well I'm the great Zelos Wilder!"

"Ah, I've heard of you; you're Tethe'alla's ex chosen of mana, and one of the heroes that reunified the world"

"Yup, yup! The one and only!"

"So what is someone like you doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Heh, I really don't even know that myself. After our whole 'adventure', everyone went their separate ways. Since I wasn't the chosen anymore, I really had nothing to do you know? I guess I'm on my own quest now, doing a little bit of soul searching."

"I never thought I'd heard the chosen say that, especially with your reputation for leading a life of debauchery."

"Well you know I got tired of Meltokyo, and I kinda got used to traveling around. Well what about yourself? What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I am a Rover. I wander around, and don't really have any place to call home. I just…. I guess I'm looking for the meaning of life… trying to figure out my own past"

"Hahaha, well it looks like we're on the same boat huh? Well it's kind of late I guess I'll just set up camp here then. What're you gonna do?"

"Hmmm… I guess I'll call it a day too"

And with that the two swordsmen went to sleep; Zelos in his own little tent, and Ozone on a tree branch.

so how was that? i'll try to update soon if you guys liked it, please review!


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